NHL Proposes 50-50 Split Of Hockey-Related Revenue, 82-Game Season

BOSTON (CBS) — Might we all get to see an 82-game NHL season after all?

The NHL, headed by commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly, met with NHLPA director Donald Fehr on Tuesday in New York. According to Bettman, the NHL proposed a 50-50 split of hockey-related revenue, as well as an 82-game season that would begin Nov. 2.

“It was done in the spirit of getting a deal done,” Bettman said.

Fehr told the media shortly after Bettman’s announcement that the NHLPA would need to review the offer thoroughly before responding. That response could come later Tuesday or on Wednesday. Fehr would not comment beyond that.

“Our hope, after we review this, is that there will be a feeling on the players’ side that this will be a proposal from which we can negotiate and try and reach a conclusion,” Fehr said.

The divvying of that hockey-related revenue has been the sticking point in negotiations throughout this entire lockout process. The players were getting 57 percent of that money, and the owners proposed it be cut 14 percent to 43 percent in their initial offer.

The NHLPA, as expected, strongly opposed such a drastic reduction, and the two sides also disagreed on the exact definition of hockey-related revenue.

While Bettman did not elaborate fully on that topic, he did say the 50-50 split would be “across the board.”

ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the NHL “has taken off table some of the systemic changes to player contracts which they asked for in initial July offer.”

“We’re focused on getting the puck dropped on Nov. 2 and playing a full 82-game regular season and full playoffs,” Bettman said. “That’s what this offer is all about.”